PPG SIGMAGLIDE 2390 from PPG Industries - high-performance hull coating for commercial fleets

By Nora Whitfield, ad hoc news B2B & Pro Desk. Reviewed July 04, 2026, 7:38 PM ET. Details in the imprint.

PPG SIGMAGLIDE 2390 is the kind of product you only notice when you’re standing on a dry-dock floor looking up at a 1,000-foot hull, the gray air smelling faintly of solvent and steel dust as yard workers check the slick, rubbery surface with gloved hands. It is PPG Industries’ high-performance, silicone-based antifouling coating built to help shipowners trim fuel bills and emissions over long service intervals. On a warm afternoon in the Port of Houston, one coatings inspector described watching a freshly blasted hull transformed over hours as SIGMAGLIDE 2390 leveled into a smooth, almost glassy skin that looked more like a polished surfboard than the side of a bulk carrier.

Silicone hull coating focused on efficiency

PPG SIGMAGLIDE 2390 is part of PPG’s marine coatings portfolio, aimed squarely at commercial vessels that spend most of their lives under way rather than tied to the dock. The product uses a biocide-free, silicone-based system designed to minimize hull roughness and make it harder for marine organisms like barnacles and slime to stick, which can cut hydrodynamic drag. According to PPG’s technical literature, SIGMAGLIDE 2390 targets multi-year performance between dry-dockings, with application specifications tuned for large, ocean-going ships such as tankers, bulkers, container vessels and LNG carriers. In practice, that means a coating that must survive constant seawater exposure, temperature swings and mechanical cleaning while still maintaining a low-friction surface.

From a hands-on standpoint, SIGMAGLIDE 2390 behaves differently to traditional copper-based antifouling paints. Yard applicators describe it as having a thick, flexible feel under the roller, with a tendency to self-level into a continuous film if the surface preparation is done correctly and the temperature window is observed. Compared with the chalky, abrasive texture of older antifoulings, the cured SIGMAGLIDE layer has a noticeably rubber-like touch, almost squeaky under bare fingers when dry, which reflects its silicone elastomer backbone. That texture is not just cosmetic: PPG’s lab data indicate that a smoother, more elastic surface helps reduce micro-turbulence around the hull, contributing to lower fuel consumption for a given speed.

Targeting fuel savings and environmental rules

PPG markets SIGMAGLIDE 2390 as a way for fleet operators to respond to tightening environmental regulations, including greenhouse gas reporting schemes and fuel-efficiency measures in major shipping lanes. Hull fouling can add several percent to a vessel’s fuel burn, and industry case studies have shown that smooth, fouling-resistant coatings can translate into measurable savings over long voyages. In its marine coatings material, PPG highlights SIGMAGLIDE’s potential to help reduce CO? emissions by improving hull performance, though the exact benefit depends on vessel type, route and maintenance practices. The coating’s biocide-free formulation also aligns with regulatory pressure on traditional antifouling chemistries, which have faced restrictions in ports and coastal regions due to ecotoxicity concerns.

For US-based shipowners, the main relevance is not consumer-facing but operational and cost-focused. Large crude tankers calling at Gulf Coast refineries, container vessels serving East and West Coast terminals and LNG carriers moving cargo to and from US export facilities all face fuel cost volatility and emissions reporting obligations. A hull coating that reduces fouling over a typical five-year dry-docking cycle can help improve overall efficiency metrics, such as the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII). In practice, owners work with coating suppliers like PPG to run performance models and sea trial data to estimate savings, often expressed in percentage reductions in specific fuel oil consumption at a given speed.

Where SIGMAGLIDE 2390 fits inside PPG

PPG Industries, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, positions its marine and protective coatings business as part of a broader industrial portfolio spanning aerospace, energy, and infrastructure customers. In recent investor presentations, Chief Executive Officer Tim Knavish has emphasized PPG’s focus on technology-driven coatings that help customers meet sustainability and performance goals, a theme that includes products like SIGMAGLIDE 2390 alongside corrosion-resistant systems for bridges and offshore platforms. Protective and marine coatings contribute a meaningful slice of PPG’s industrial segment revenue, though the company does not break out SIGMAGLIDE as a separate reporting line. For holders of PPG stock, the product is one of several specialized offerings that can support margin and differentiation within heavy industry customers who value lifetime performance over upfront price.

PPG does not publish a simple US retail price for SIGMAGLIDE 2390 because the coating is sold into shipyards and fleets on a project basis, often bundled with surface preparation, application support and other coatings. Pricing tends to be quoted per liter or per square meter of hull area and varies with contract size, vessel type and region. However, PPG’s marketing material frames SIGMAGLIDE as a premium solution designed to pay back through reduced fuel consumption and regulatory compliance rather than through low upfront material cost. In one anecdote shared by a fleet technical manager, a decision to switch a series of Panamax bulkers to silicone-based hull coatings came after modeling showed a multi-million-dollar fuel saving over the dry-dock cycle, even after pricing in the higher coating cost and yard time.

Technical features and application demands

Technically, SIGMAGLIDE 2390 is engineered as a multi-component silicone coating that requires defined surface preparation and application conditions to deliver its low-friction performance. PPG’s product documentation specifies blast cleaning standards, primer compatibility and film thickness ranges, as well as recommended spray or roller techniques for uniform coverage. The coating must be applied on properly prepared steel surfaces, typically over an epoxy or tie-coat layer, and cured under controlled temperature and humidity to avoid defects. Marine coatings specialists caution that improper application can compromise performance, underscoring the importance of trained applicators and supervision during dry-dock work. In many cases, PPG provides on-site technical service personnel to monitor conditions, advise on mixing ratios and verify thickness using handheld gauges.

Once in service, SIGMAGLIDE 2390 is designed to resist fouling through a combination of low surface energy and elasticity. Marine organisms that do settle on the hull are more easily dislodged by water flow, helping the vessel maintain speed without additional throttle. Some operators pair the coating with programmed hull cleaning intervals using diver teams or remotely operated cleaning systems, further optimizing drag. According to industry coverage in trade publications, silicone-based foul release coatings like SIGMAGLIDE can offer significant advantages on high-speed or frequently moving vessels, while performance may vary on slow-moving or laid-up ships. Fleet managers therefore tailor coating selection by ship type and operating profile, a nuance PPG’s marine technical advisors discuss in workshops with customers.

US and global availability

PPG SIGMAGLIDE 2390 is available globally through PPG’s marine coatings network, which includes distribution and technical support in major shipbuilding and repair hubs across Asia, Europe and the Americas. For US operators, ordering typically runs through PPG’s marine coatings offices and authorized distributors connected to Gulf Coast, East Coast and West Coast repair yards. Because the product is targeted at commercial and industrial customers, availability is tied to project planning and yard bookings rather than off-the-shelf retail channels. That means procurement teams for shipping companies coordinate coating deliveries with dry-dock schedules, often months in advance, aligning with broader maintenance and class survey calendars.

Beyond shipping, SIGMAGLIDE technology reflects PPG’s broader push into performance coatings that respond to regulatory and customer pressure for lower emissions and longer asset life. In public comments, PPG executives have outlined a strategy that includes both incremental improvements to established chemistries and new solutions like foul release systems, high-solids coatings and low-VOC formulations. For US investors, these developments matter because they show how PPG aims to defend and grow its position against global competitors in marine coatings, including European and Asian suppliers. While a single product such as SIGMAGLIDE 2390 does not define the company, it illustrates PPG’s effort to use chemistry and surface science to secure long-term contracts with demanding industrial customers.

PPG context and stock angle

PPG Industries traces its roots back to glass production but today is a diversified coatings company with exposure to automotive OEM and refinish, architectural paints, packaging coatings and industrial segments. Marine and protective coatings sit inside that industrial footprint, providing revenue from sectors such as shipping, energy and infrastructure that often run on multi-year contracts and projects. SIGMAGLIDE 2390, as part of the marine portfolio, contributes to PPG’s positioning with global fleets seeking performance and sustainability solutions rather than commoditized paint. For US investors watching PPG Industries stock (NYSE: PPG), the product is one of the specialized technologies underpinning the company’s protective and marine coatings segment, which can benefit from higher-value, solution-oriented sales to large industrial clients.

This article was AI-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information is provided without warranty; prices and availability may change at short notice. Not investment advice and not a buy or sell recommendation. Securities trading carries risks up to total loss.

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